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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Sitia
Σητεία
Visit Sitia for 1–2 days: a half‑day of town stroll, harbour lunch and a short hike; skip if you only have time for Crete’s main sights.
Sitia is the easternmost town on Crete, with a small airport, a quiet harbour and easy access to nearby gorges and beaches. Its attractions are compact, so a day or two covers the town centre, the harbour, the Archaeological Museum and a short hike in Richtis Gorge.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Σητεία
- Best months
- May–October
- Avoid
- November–April (cool, some services reduced)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–45 excl. bed · Mid €45–70 excl. bed · High €70+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Medical 166 · Fire 199 · Tourist police 1571
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €1.5–2.5 |
| Greek salad | €4–7 |
| Fresh fish plate | €8–12 |
| Taxi airport‑centre (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi airport‑centre (3.1 mi (5 km)) | €12 |
| Museum entry | €2 (concession €3 full) |
| Richtis Gorge guide (optional) | €0 (free) |
| Bus ticket Heraklion‑Sitia | €10–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- JSH · Sitia Airport
- Domestic flights to Athens, Heraklion and other islands; no public transport to town centre, taxi ~€12 (2023).
Typical fares
- Airport → town centre (taxi)
- ≈€12 (check)
- KTEL bus Heraklion‑Sitia
- ≈€10–15 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable; taxis from airport (~€12). Buses connect to Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra; car hire optional for gorges.
See and do
Known for
- Richtis Gorge
- Archaeological Museum of Sitia
- Harbour tavernas
- Nearby Vai palm forest
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Richtis Gorge | Bus to Exo Mouliana (20 min), then walk 4 km (2.5 mi) trailBus to Exo Mouliana (20 min), then walk 2.5 mi (4 km) trail | ≈1 h total |
| Vai Palm Forest | Bus or car 30 km (19 mi) east, 45 min driveBus or car 19 mi (30 km) east, 45 min drive | ≈1 h 15 min |
| Ierapetra | KTEL bus, 1 h 15 min | ≈2 h round‑trip |
Sleep
- Hotel Krystal
- Centre, 70 m from sea, rooms €20–40 per night (2026 estimate).
- Hotel Elysee
- Sea‑front boutique, rooms €60–90 per night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Συγγνώμηsignómi |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώefharistó |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κοστίζει;póso kostízei? |
| Where is the harbour? | Πού είναι το λιμάνι;poú íne to limáni? |
| Can I have the menu? | Μπορώ να δω το μενού;boró na dho to menú? |
| I need a taxi | Χρειάζομαι ταξίchriázomai taksí |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- No regular bus from airport – arrange taxi or walk 5 km.
- Museum closed Tuesdays; check opening times.
- Richtis Gorge trail can be slippery after rain – wear sturdy shoes.
Sitia is low‑risk; main concerns are summer heat and occasional unmarked taxi fares – ask for price before boarding.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sitia yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Richtis Gorge
- Archaeological Museum of Sitia
- Harbour tavernas
- Nearby Vai palm forest
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Sitia, revision 5266632 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5266632
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/sitia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.